Joanna Champney, director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said the state has six strategies to combat overdose deaths. These include reducing the negative stigma surrounding addiction, getting more people tested for substance use disorders, and increasing the availability of Narcan, an overdose reversal drug, across the state. . DHSS is also focused on reaching people experiencing homelessness and providing state funding for detox and treatment programs.
“We will not rest until drug addiction deaths and overdose deaths in our state are reduced to zero,” she said. “But we appreciate the efforts of all our partners to continue to flatten the curve.”
Champney said plans to install “harm reduction” vending machines at five locations around the state have been postponed from this spring to early summer. These machines dispense items such as test strips for Narcan, fentanyl, and xylazine.
DSAMH also hopes to recruit a partner to build another state-funded detox facility for low-income and Medicaid recipients in Kent or Sussex counties.
Currently, uninsured or underinsured people must travel to the Kirkwood Highway area of New Castle County to receive services at the state's only detox facility. Champney said he hopes the state Legislature will approve an increase in reimbursement rates for fiscal year 2025, which begins in July, making it more attractive for health care providers to consider state contracts for that type of care. He said it was likely to rise further.
